Compatibility
by Nyx Nightshade
Summary: Alexandria is having a hard time fighting for a nation that scorns her kind. Can Alistair prove to her that Ferelden is worth fighting for? F!Mahariel/Alistair


Disclaimer: Don't own BioWare, Alistair, Wynne and all the rest of everyone mentioned here. But I guess if I did I wouldn't be posting on a fan fiction site, now would I?

Summery: The Dalish elf Alexandria is having a tough time fighting for something she doesn't know if she believes in. Or for a people who don't believe in her.

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I watched as the moon rose higher in the sky and listened to the small animals rustle in the underbrush. How I missed my forest home. The quiet laughter of my elven cousins and the familiar night sounds of the forest we had called home. Or at least the forest we called home on any given night. The approach of clinking mail and plate brought me from my revere.

"Alex, what's brought you from the fire and out to this cold edge of camp?" I tore my gaze from the moon and let it fall on Alistair, the one who had been with me from the very beginning. Or at least the beginning of this adventure. Tamlen…

"I was just thinking." The words fell heavy in the cool night air. His laughter met my ears and warmed me a little.

"Well, you must be careful not to hurt yourself. You see, there was this time back in the chantry when…" He trailed off and stepped closer to me, bringing his hand to rest on my shoulder. His merry eyes turned serious and he sat next to me. "Won't you tell me what's on your mind dearest?" I glanced up at the unexpected term of endearment. It comforted me, but it wasn't enough. Not tonight.

"It would be too hard for you to understand," he cut me off.

"Now I know I may be simple, but you can still give it a shot." He smirked at me and I smiled back ruefully, squeezing his hand. Though my thoughts turned somber as my attention came back to the matter at hand. I sighed deeply and turned to look him in the eyes.

"Imagine you were an elf. Not one of those pathetic enslaved cowards, but a real elf. Who ran wild and free, who answered to none but their Keeper." I saw his brief flash of confusion and elaborated. "Their… Lord, you could say." He nodded briefly, and I moved on with a little less fire than before. "Then imagine you're ripped away from your home by a curse you barely have a name for. Taken from your family after having just lost your best friend, not even convinced he's dead. Then you have to fight to save a people who hate you. Who hate the things you stand for. Who hate you for daring to be different. A difference that you can't even help! A difference you were born with!" I hung my head and wished not for the first time since the start of my adventure that I could be a human noble. Alistair moved his heavily armored arm over my leather clad shoulders. I sunk a little into the log we were sitting on. He drew me closer.

"It's just so hard to find a reason to save the people who hate me. Who look down on me just for who I am." I expected a wise crack about my height, but none came. I looked into Alistair's eyes and saw only compassion. It was Alistair's turn to sigh.

" I never had much interaction where elves were concerned, and you are really the only Dalish elf I've ever got to spend much time with at all. Zevran not withstanding, but he's only half Dalish, and really doesn't count." He scowled a little at the thought of what he considered his competition. " But I think there was one in the Wardens, a Ranger like yourself. But I wasn't with the Wardens long, and he kind of kept to himself… Hm, that might make this a bad example." His eyebrows drew together and he frowned. "What I was trying to get at though is that humans and elves can get along. Someone just needs to show everyone we're not as different as we all think." The silence hung heavy in the air as I pondered what he had said. That we really aren't so different. It conflicted with the way I had been treated by the humans, but it was true all the same.

I sighed and returned my gaze to the moon and the breeze blowing through the tall grass where we had made camp. Oghren's loud drunken laughter rang through the air as Wynne made some type of snappy retort. Zevran chimed in about Wynne's beautiful bosom and this set Leliana to laughter. Zevran launched into another harrowing tale of his life as a Crow. Sten patrolled the edge of camp with Shale and Jethro, the Mabari we had collected. Morrigan was, well Morrigan was off in the corner of camp practicing something she must have found in her mother's grimoire. But she doesn't really count. Alistair surveyed our rag tag group of adventurers along with me. Then, his voice came, soft and low in my ears.

"Look at them. Their differences don't matter one bit. We've collected every piece of Ferelden that we could. We have everything from an apostate to a chantry sister. That's not even to mention you and I. Are we not the prime example of how humans and elves can live and work together?" I mulled over his words and listened to the crickets in the grass.

"Maybe you're right Alistair." I turned and smiled up at him. "Maybe if there is hope for us there is hope for all of Ferelden."

"Hm. Me right? Who would have ever thought." I laughed outright and swatted his pauldron.

"You do have your moments," I teased.

"I suppose I do." With that he turned and scooped me up and began to carry me back to camp.

"Hey! What are you going to do with me?" He looked down at me and grinned. I caught a bit of blush in the approaching firelight.

"I'm going to show you just how compatible elves and humans can be."

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This was my first real attempt at Dragon Age fan fiction, or really any piece of writing in a long while. I would very much appreciate if you would leave me a review and let me know how I did, or if you found any mistakes. Thanks!


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